Charith Asalanka's century and Maheesh Theekshana's four wickets earned Sri Lanka a stunning 49-run victory over Australia in the first game of their two-match ODI series. (More Cricket News)
Just three days after their defeat in the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy, Sri ꦦLanka roared🀅 back in style to earn a comeback triumph in Colombo.
Opener Pathum Nissanka hoped to shrug off a double failure in the second Test, but was bowled out for just four runs as Spencer Johnson (2𝓰-44) claimed his maiden ODI wicket.&nb💃sp;
Sri Lanka c👍ontinued to stumble, with Avishka Fernando (one), Kusal Mendis (19) and Kamindu Mendis (five) quickly following Nissanka as Australia asserted control early on.
It was left to Asalanka to turn things around, and he started with a 67-run sixth-run partnership with Dunith Wellalage (🐼30) before the latter fell to Matt Short (1-39).
Asalanka, however, continued his one-man mission, capitalising on a tiring Australian bowling a🦂ttack to score hꦐis fourth ODI century before being dismissed in the 46th over.
With 215 needed for the vic𓆉tory, the tourists made a poor start to their run chase when Short was bowled out in just the second ball of the innings for a duck.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (two) and Cooper Connolly (three) soon followed, with stand-in captain Steve S𓃲mith managing just 12 runs from the 17 deliveries that he faced.
Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey built a 52-run partnership before being dismissed 🌌by Asalanka (1-5) and Theekshana (4-40) respectively, as Australia crashed to 85-6.
Knocks ﷺfrom Aaron Hardie (32), Sean Abbott (20) and Adam Zampa (20) could only delay the inevitable, with Theekshana claiming the wic♐ket of Johnson to seal the win.
Data Debrief: Champions Trophy prep starts poorly for Aussies
With bowlers Pat Cummins, Jo💮sh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc out♉ of Australia's Champions Trophy squad, this ODI series would have been the ideal preparation for their new-look bowling attack.
Though Abbott, Hardie, Johnson and Nathan Ellis combined for nine wickets, it was Australia's performance with the bat that would concern captai🌸n Smith the most.
But that is not taking away from Asalanka's brill✱iant ton, as he plundered 127 runs from 126 balls, including 14 fours and fi🙈ve sixes at a strike rate of 100.79.
